Lead connector



c. wANTz y LEAD CONNECTOR May 1l, 1943.

Filed Sept. ll, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 1l, 1943. c. wANTz LEADCONNECTOR Filed sept. 11, 19:59

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 772 vena/*f Zarence /nz.

Patented May ll, 1943 LEAD CONNECTOR Clarence Wantz, Milwaukee, Wis.,assignor to Mil; waukee Gas Specialty Company, Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Application September 11, 1939, Serial No.294,264

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a lead connector, and has particular relation.to an improved detachable lead connector for detachably connecting athermocouple to a thermoelectric safety device for heating and otherapparatus.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide an improved leadconnector of simple and inexpensive construction and which is composedof few parts adapted for convenient assembly; also a device in which thecooperating terminal connector members constituting the lead connectorparts are adapted for convenient application to the thermoelectricsafety device and to the thermocouple lead conductors respectively, anda device which is adapted to provide a quick detachable connectionbetween the thermocouple leads and the thermoelectric safety device.

It is a more specic object of my invention to provide a lead connectorwhich includes a thermal connector having a simple, inexpensive, andimproved form of attachment to the safety device, and particularly tothe magnet base of said device, although this may vary within thebroader aspects of the invention.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent fromthefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a part of a thermoelectric safety device,showing lead connector means embodying my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a sectional view partially vin side elevation and showingone form of thermoelectric safety device, with the lead connector meansof my present invention applied thereto; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through one illustrative form ofthermocou-ple and lead means therefor, and showing the detachable leadconnector means on the thermocouple leads,

The lead connector means of the present invention can be employed in awide variety of devices, but for purposes of illustration the inventionhas been shown, more or less fragmentarily, as embodied in a deviceadapted for maintaining in open position a valve in a gas or other fuelsupply line leading to a burner as long as a pilot light injuxtaposition to the burner is lighted and for automatically closing thevalve to shut oi the supply oi fuel to the burner upon extinguishment ofthe pilot light.

The part indicated at I constitutes a magnet base for the thermoelectriccontrol device. It has, for instance, a notched lug II at one side andan opening I2 at the opposite side by means of which the magnet base issecured to the body of the control device (not shown). The Ibody of thecontrol device lmay be a valve body having a valve therein, or it may bea control body having a switch therein for controlling anelectroresponsive valve in the fuel supply line. The control body mayhave temperature selecting means adapted to be set to maintain selectedtemperatures, or such selecting means may be omitted.

The magnet base also has openings ld through which, for instance, screwsor the like are adapted to be inserted to secure the magnet base to ahood or other suitable enclosure I5 for enclosing the electromagnetwhich comprises a magnet frame I6 and an electromagnet coil Il. Themagnet frame IS is shown of generally U-shaped form, but the inventionis not limited to use with a magnet frame of this particular form. Thebase of the magnet frame I6 is secured to the magnet base I in adepression I8 therein and between integral posts I9 on the magnet baseas, for instance, by a thin and preferably spring metal retention piece20 secured to the yposts I9 =by pins 2|, and binding the magnet frame I6rmly in place to the base I0. The magnet base is preferably formed of arelatively soit metal or alloy, and the pins 2i may have pressed fittherein, although features such as this may vary widely.

The electromagnet coil I1 comprises a conductor 22 provided with awrapping of insulation 23 and wound about the legs of the magnet frameI6. The terminal leads of the coil Il are shown at 24 and 25,respectively. The electromagnet is provided with an armature 26,positioned as 'shown in Figure 2 upon the outer end of a plunger orarmature stem 21 which extends through an axial opening in thearmature26. The armature 26 preferably has atleast a slight amount ofrelative movement on the stem 21, at 28, for self-accommodation to thepoles of the magnet frame I6', and cooperates with a shoulder 29 on thestern 21 to hold the stem pressed to the right, as viewed in Figure 2,as long as the armature is in attracted position.

The right hand end of the stem 2l, as the device is viewed in Figure 2,cooperates, for instance, e

with a valve in the body of the control device to hold said valve openas long as the armature is in attracted position. Upon extinguishment,for instance, of the pilot-light, the electromagnet becomes deenergized,or at least insumciently energized to hold the armature 26 in attractedposition, and means, such as a coiled spring (not shown), in the body ofthe control device actuates the armature to retracted position and thevalve to closed position to shut off the supply ot fuel to the burner.Suitable reset means (not shown) is preferably provided for resettingthe device. insulating strips 3| may be wrapped about the legs of themagnet frame and between said legs and the coil l1 further to insulatethe same from the magnet frame.

In the illustrated device, the reset meansl is operable, for instance,to overcome the armature retracting and valve closing action of thespring (not shown) in the body of the control device, whereupon a weakerspring 90 in the hood I5 moves the armature 26 yieldingly to attractedposition. These particular features constitute no part of the presentinvention and may vary widely. Moreover, the device is illustrated ondifferent scales of enlargement for purposes of illustration. In oneactual commercial form of device, the hood I 5 is about one andone-quarter inches in diameter, with the other parts proportionedaccordingly, The particular size and proportioning of the parts,however, may vary widely. l

The thermocouple; except for the improvements which the presentinvention provides in the lead connector means therefor, is shown by wayof illustration and not by way of limitation as of the general characterdisclosed and claimed in YOscar J. Leins Patent No. 2,126,564, grantedAugust 9, 1938. The thermocouple 40 comprises an outer tubular metallicthermocouple member 4l and an inner metallic thermocouple member 42joined at one end to the end of the outer thermocouple member to formthe thermal junction 44 which is placed in position to be heated bythepilot light r any other desired flame. An inner lead conductor 45 isjoined to the inner thermocouple member to form an internal thermalJunction 46, and an outer tubular lead con- .ductor 41 is connected tothe outer thermocouple member 4|, for instance through a sleeve 48 toform a third thermal junction 49. The outer lead conductor 41 enclosesthe inner lead conductor 45 and, with the sleeve 48 and the outerthermocouple member, constitutes an enclosure about the innerthermocouple member and the inner lead conductor and the innerthermocouple junction 46. The inner lead conductor 45 is insulated fromthe outer lead conductor, for instance, by a wrapping of insulation onthe inner lead conductor` as indicated at 50. f

The lead connector of my present invention comprises a terminalconnector on the safety control device and a cooperating terminalconnector on the thermocouple leads and adapted for quick detachableconnection with the terminal connector on the safety device.

'Ihe terminal connector on the safetydevice comprises a metallicconnector socket 68 having at its inner end an axial opening 6l definedby an integral annular ange 62. The opposite end of the socket so isinternally threaded at sa. Secured in and insulated from the socket 60by a body of insulation 64 1s a metallic connector stud 65. The enlargedouter end oi the stud 65 has a generally conical recess 66 and, at itsopposite end, the stud 66 has an integral stem 61 which extends throughthe opening 6| and is connected at 68 to one of the terminal leads ofthe coil I1,

- for instance to the lead 25. The body of insulation at 64 may beformed of fibrous or any other suitable insulating material. It may beheld, for instance, by pressed llt in the inner flanged end of thesocket 60, and the connector stud may aaiaaaa be held, for instance, bypressed iit in the body of insulation 64.

The connector socket 60 is preferably attached to the magnet base I0 bydie-casting the magnet base thereto. To assure that the socket 68 willbe rmly retained in place in the portion of the magnet base I 0,which'is die-cast to the same, the external periphery of the socket ispreferably provided intermediate its ends with an integral enlargement68 of generally hexagonal'or polygonal form, or of any other suitableform. In making up the magnet base the socket 60 is placed in suchposition in the mold for the magnet base that the integral hub-likeportion 10 of the magnet base will -be die-cast around and directly tothe socket 6.0 as shown in Figure 1 in the operation of die-casting themagnet ba'se to the desired form. The die-casting of the magnet basepermits accurately conforming the same to' relatively intricateconguration, and, forexample, with retention ribs indicated at 12, forcooperation with the adjacent end of the hood or enclosure l5. Atthe-same time, by die-casting the magnet base directly to the connectorsocket 60, this socket is firmly and, in eil'ect integrally Joined orattached to the magnet vbase without addi-f tional operations oradditional attachment means and in a simple and inexpensive manner.

The free end of the inner thermocouple lead 45 extends from the adjacentend of the lead conductor 41 and has fixed thereon, at 15, and ingoodconducting contact therewith a wedge member or metallic connectorcone 16. 'Ilie adjacent end of the outer lead conductor 41 is flanged orbelled out rat 18, and may be doubled back, as shown, although, ofcourse, the doubling back of the flange 18 may be omitted or varied. Theflanged end o1' the outer lead conductor 41 is insulated from theconnector cone 16, and thereby fronrthe inner lead4 conductor 45 by abody of Llill is connected at to the other terminal lead 24 of the coill1.

Byapplying the connector means on the thermocouple lead conductors tothe connector terminal means on the safety device withthe connector cone16 positioned with its generally conical surface 86 in engagement withthe conical recess 66 in the stud 65 and threading the nut 82 into thesocket 60, the cone 16 is wedged into the recess 66 and consequentlymakes good positive contact with the stud 65, thereby connecting theinner lead conductor 45 with one terminal of the coil I1. At the sametime, the threaded engagement between the nut 82 and the socket 68 withthe clamping of the inner end of the nut 82 into engagement with theflanged or belled end .18 of the outer lead conductor. forms la goodpositive connection between the outer lead conductor 41 and the bushing60, thereby connecting the lead 41 to the other terminal 24 of the coilI1.

The thermocouple leads are adapted to be quickly detached from thesafety device merely by unthreading the nut 82 from the socket 10 andwithdrawing thev terminal connector means on the thermocouple leads fromthe bushing This permits the thermocouple leads to be quickly detachedfrom the safety device so that the thermocouple and its leads may bedisconnected and shipped separately from the safety device, and thisquick detachable lead connection permits replacement of the thermocoupleand its lead lconductors without replacing the safety device,

or, if desired, the safety device may ybe replaced without replacing thethermocouple and its lead conductors.

The particular magnet base selected for illustration i's shown as havingan outstanding flange 92 die-cast integral with the magnet base Il) andadapted for engagement in an opening in the hood or housing I for theelectromagnet. This, however, may vary widely within the scope of mypresent invention. l

In operation, when the pilot light or other flame (not shown) isburning, the heat thereof upon the thermal junction 44 produces athermoelectric current in the coil I1. The magnet frame and armature arepreferably formed of an alloy of relatively low magnetic reluctance and,as a result, the relatively weak thermoelectric current produces amagnetic eld of sufficient strength so that Whenthe armature ispositioned in contact with the pole ends of the magnet frame-forinstance by the operation of the reset means not shown-the magneticattraction holds the armature in attracted position against the magnetframe and, for instance, the valve (not shown) in open position as longas the pilot flame is burning.

If the pilot name is extinguished, theholding action of theelectromagnet ceases to be' sufficient to hold the armature .26 inattracted position and the valve member in open position, and the valvemember is moved to closed position to shut off the supply of fuel to'the main burnerfor instance, by means of the spring means positioned inthe body of the control device, or otherwise as desired.

While the magnet base l0 may be .formed of e ber, a contact on `theinner end any suitable material, a No. 2 "Zamak alloy constitutesA onesatisfactory material for this purpose. While the connector socket isdescribed as die-cast to the magnet base i0, it is to be understood thatit.may be attached in this or any equivalent manner to any other part ofthe thermoelectric safety shut-off device.

I claim: l .A lead connector comprising a generally cupshaped memberhaving at its inner end an end Wall provided with an `opening and openat its outer end, a connector stud having a headed end disposed withinsaid cup-shaped member in proximity to the end Wall said member, saidconnector extending 'through the opening in the end wail of saidgenerally cup-shaped member, a pair of terminal leads one connected tothe shank of said stud and the other connected to said generallycup-shaped member, insulating means positioned within 'said generallycup-shaped member between the Wall at the inner end of said member `andthe .headed inner end stud, a pair of concentric lead conductorsinsulated from each other and adapted to enter the open endof `saidgenerally cup-shaped memof one of said lead conductors, a flangedportion at the inner end of the other lead conductor, insulating meansbetween said contact and said and a connector nut having detachableconnection with the outer end of said generally cupshaped member andcooperable with the flanged portion at the inner end of one leadconductor` for clamping the -contact at the lead conductor in contactwith the headed inner end of said stud and connecting the lead conductorwith the ange at its inner end in circuit with the terminal leadconnected thru said generally cup-shaped member.

. CLARENCE WANTZ.

at the inner end of stud having a shank i of said anged portion',

end of the other l

